Treatment of textiles



Patented Sept. 3, 1940 PATENT OFFICE 2,213,673 TREATMENT OF TEXTILES Wolf Kritchevsky, Chicago, 111., assig'nor to Ninol,

' Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois No'Drawingz- 15 Claims.

This invention relates to the treatment of textiles, more particularly it relates to the softening of staple fibers, yarns and fabrics, In its preferred embodiment the invention pertains to the softening of fibers such as synthetic fibers and cellulose fibers such as lustrous and delustered cellulose ethers and esters, regenerated cellulose and the like.

It is an object of this invention to soften synthetic and cellulosic fibers so that they will be soft to the touch. A further object is to soften such fibers in such a manner that they are free from odor. A still further object is to soften cellulosic fibers in such a manner that their strength will not be substantially impaired. A

further object is to soften synthetic cellulosic fibers in such a manner that their solubility characteristics are not increased. Otherobjects will appear hereinafter.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my prior application, Serial No. 104,710, filed October 8, 1936, now Patent No. 2,096,749, and is thus related to my prior applications, Serial Nos.

84,228, 84,229 and 84,230, filed June 8, 1936, and

Serial No. 738,688, filed August 6, 1936, now Patents Nos. 2,094,608; 2,094,609; and 2,089,212, respectively, in the manner described in Patent No. 2,096,749.

I have now found that if the condensation '80 products prepared by reacting a higher fatty acid with an alkylol amine in the manner described in my Patent No. 2,096,749, andrelated cases and after treated with alkylating agents are incorporated in very small amounts in aque- 95 ous solution that the above objects may be ace complished.

The proportion of higher fatty acid to alkylolamine is not to be restricted to the 1 to 2 relation as preferred in Patent No. 2,096,749, although 40 such proportions give excellent results, but may vary widely. For example, from to 3 mols of alkylolamine may be used per mol of fatty acid.

As a result of my investigations, I have discovered the surprising and unexpected results 5 that when fibers, yarns, fabrics, etc. either synthetic or cellulosic are treated with aqueous solutions containing very small amounts of the above mentioned compounds, they are softened to a marked degree. The fibers are not only smooth and soft but are fuller, more pliable and in general more pleasing to the touch. The small amounts referred toconstitute on the order of from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight of the aqueous solution. Viscose rayon, both of the lustrous and delustered type, is very markedly softened Application October 25, 1931, Serial No. 170,776

by the use of amounts falling in t e lower portion of the range, viz. from 0.001-to-0.01%.

The above objects as will be apparent from the preceding description ,are accomplished by treating filaments, threads, yarns, skeins or fabl rics in an aqueous solution at about 20 degrees to about degrees C. containing from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight of the described condensation products which havebeen after treated with alkylating agents.

' The invention will be further illustrated, but is not to be limited by the following examples in which the parts specified are parts by weight:

Example I I Example I! Viscose yarn of the lustrous type which has been dyed with 2% Pontamine Fast Blue 3R (C. I.- 464) is treated in the manner of Example I with a condensation product of 1 mol of diethanolamine and 1 mol of stearic acid which has been after treated with dimethyl sulfate.

The yarn was found to be soft to the touch, improved in appearance and free from odor. The shade and light fastness of the dye was found to be unchanged. Other direct dyes can be substituted with similar results, e. g. Pontamine Fast Yellow, 4 GL (C. 1.949 Pontamine Fast Red, F 6% (C. I. 419) Pontamine Bordeaux 13 4% (C. I. 3'15), Pontamine" 40 Catechu B 4%. Acid dyed materials as well as those dyed with other dyes show similar improvements.

Example III 'Crepe fabrics which are made with a cellulose acetate fiber warp and a viscose fiber filling are treated at 40-75 degrees 0. for about 15 minutes The fabric after drying is greatly improved in appearance and soft to the touch.

Example IV Cellulose acetate yarn is treated at 40-60 degrees C. for minutes in an aqueous bath containing 0.02% by weight of a condensation product of 1 mol of a mixture of palmitic, stearic, and arachidic acid with 1 mol of diethanolamine which has been after treated with of a mol of dimethylsulfate. After drying the yarn is found to be very soft and free from assuming static charges when handled.

Example V Example VI Cotton sheeting fabric is treated in the same manner and with the same reagents as the crepe fabrics of Example II. The cotton sheeting is found to be improved in appearance and properties and soft to the touch. The white fabric was free from discoloration. i

Example VII I Cotton sheeting fabric which has been dyed with Pontamine Fast Yellow 4 G. L. (C. I. 349) is treated with the same solution as described in Example II under similar temperature conditions for five minutes. The sheeting was found to be improved in appearance, soft and smooth to the touch. Its light unchanged.

In place of the specific condensation products of the preceding examples, may be substituted any of the after treated alkylolamine-fatty acid condensation products of my prior Patent No. 2,096,749. Thus, the; products described in Examples I, II, V, VII, VIII, and IX of that patent may be used. Other products suitable for my present purposes may be prepared by reacting one mol of a higher fatty acid preferably saturated such as palmitic, stearic and arachidic with to 3 mols of alkylolamine and after treated with to 6-mols ofthe alkylating, arylating and aralkylating agents described in my prior Patent No. 2,096,749.

The time and temperature of treatment may vary considerably depending upon the particular fabric and condensation. product. Thus an instant up to 10 or minutes represents a practical period. The temperature maybe between degrees C. and lower, and about 100 degrees C., the preferred range being degrees to degrees C. This invention possesses the advantagethat fibers etc. which are so treated are more acceptable to the trade. They are softer than untreated fibers and smooth to the touch and fuller. When white or bleached fabrics are so treated no discoloration obtains. The shade and light fastness of dyed materials is unchanged, which is surprising. The treatment also reduces static charges. This is more apparent at higher contains a lower alkyl group,

fastness and shade was densation product of 1 mol concentrations of the condensation product but is noticeable with lesser amounts. vantages are especially noticeable with viscose rayon both of the lustrous and delustered type.

As many apparently widely different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the spirit and scope thereof it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the specific embodiments thereof except as described in'the following claims.

What I claim as' new and desire to protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The process which comprises softening cellulosic materials and synthetic fibers in an aqueous bath containing from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight, of a condensation product of an alkylolamine and a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters and anhydrides and acid hal-' ides, which has been after treated with an alkylating agent.

2. The process which comprises softening cellulosic materials and synthetic fibers in an aqueous bath containing from 0.001% to 0.05% by weight, of a condensation product of an alkylolamine and a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters and anhydrides and acid halides, which has been after treated with an alkylating agent wherein the alkylating agent stantially greater than one to one. 1

3. The process-which comprises treating cellulosic materials in an aqueous bath containing a small amount alkylolamine and a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters and anhydrides and acid halides, which has been after treated with neutral ester of a mineral acid.

4. The process of claim 3 wherein ating agent is a dialkyl sulfate.

5. The process which comprises treating cellulosic materials at a temperature between 30 degrees and 100 degrees C. in an aqueous bath con-'- taining from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight of a conof a member of the group consisting of higher fattyacids, their esters and anhydrides and halides with to 3 mols of an alkylolamine which has been after treated with not more than 1 mol of an alkylating agent.

6. The process which comprises treating cellulosic materials at a temperature between 30-100 degrees C. in an aqueous bath containing from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight of a condensation product of 1 mol of a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters and anhydrides and halides with not substantially more than one mol of an alkylolamine treated with not more than 1 mol of dimethylsulfate.

7. The process which comprises treating cellualkylolamine to higher fatty acid being not subthe molal ratio of an alkylating agent comprising a the alkyl- These adof a condensation product of an which has been after losic materials at a temperature between 35-60 degrees C. in an aqueous solution containing from 0.01 to 0.50% by weight of a condensation product of a higher saturated fatty acid with at least to 3 mols of an alkylolamine which has been after treated with a dialkyl sulfate.

condensation product of 1 mol of a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters and anhydrides and halides with at least 2 mols of an alkylolamine which has been after treated with not more than 1 mol of an alkylating agent.

12. The process which comprises softening cellulosic materials and synthetic fabrics in an aqueous bath containing from 0.001 to 0.05% by weight, of a condensation product of diethanolamine and stearic acid, which has been aftertreated with dimethyl sulphate, the-molal ratio of the diethanolamine to the stearic acid being not substantially greater than one to one.

13. A cellulose material coated with a textile treating agent, the essential component of which is a condensation product of an alkylol amine and a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters-and anhydrides and acid halides, which has been after-treated with an alkylating agent.

14. A cellulose material coated with a textile treating agent, the essential component of which is a condensation product of an alkylol amine and a member of the group consisting of higher fatty acids, their esters and anhydrides and acid halides, .which has been after-treated with an alkylating agent comprising a neutral ester of a mineral acid.

15. A cellulose organic derivative'fiber coated with a treating agent the essential component of which is a condensation product of diethanolamine with stearic acid which has been aftertreated with dimethyl sulfate.

WOLF KRITCHEVSKY.

CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION. Patent No.-2,215,675. September}, 191w;

Y WOLF KRITCEEVSKY.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correctiona's follows: Page 2, second column line 65, c1aini7, for "o ;o1 to 0.50;! read--0.01%to0.05%-; and that the said Letters Patent should. be read with this correction therein that the samemay conform to the record of the cese in 115 Patent Office.

Signed and seaied this 19th da '6: November, A. D. 191m.

Henry Arsdale,

(Seal) Acting Commissioner of Petents. 

